Pickling and cleaning device for strip metal



F. J. WOOD Dec. 27, 1933..

PICKLING AND CLEANING DEVICE FOR STRIP METAL Filed Sept. 22, 1957 [\IIIIII IIIIIHG IIIH I HI U IHM Patented Dec. 21, 1938 PATENT OFFICE YPIOKLING AND CLEANING DEVICE FOR s'mrr METAL Frank J. Wood, Riverside, 111., assignor to Goodman Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a

corporation of Illinois Application September 22, 1937, Serial No. 165,016

13 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in pickling and cleaning devices for strip metal and more particularly relates to a means for guiding the metal as it passes through a pickling bath.

()ne of the objects of my invention is to provide a. means of a simplified, novel, and more efli-- cient construction than formerly which is arranged to guide a strip of metal in central relation with respect to a pickling trough, through which it passes, and into squeegee rolls at the discharge end of the trough.

Another object of my. invention is to provide a device for guiding strip metal along the central portion of a pickling trough which device is adjustable for varying widths of metal and forms a continuation of the pickling trough.

Still another object of my invention is to so arrange the guiding device that its ends extend over the ends of the strip metal to guide the metal against lateral and vertical displacement and so that the pickling fluid in the pickling trough will serve to buoy up the metal as it is discharged through the forward end of the guiding device. I 25 Other objects of. my invention will appear from time to time as the accompanying specification proceeds.

My invention may be best understood by referring to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a pickling and cleaning device for stripmetal showing a guiding device constructed in accordance with my invention applied thereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of the acid bath showing the guiding device in one position of adjustment;

Figure 3 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2 but showing the guiding device in a further extended position of adjustment than in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail front end view of the guiding deviceyand Figure 5 is a side elevation of the guiding device with parts broken away and shown in longitudinal section in order to show certain details thereof.

Referring now in particular to the drawing, the embodiment of my invention illustrated 'includes a sticking box I0 at the entering end of the cleaning device which supports a coil of metal II in such a manner that it may be unwound and pass through the cleaning. device. From said sticking box the metal is leveled and straightened by means of a leveler l2 which includes a plurality of, power driven leveling rolls l3, l3 engag ing opposite sides of the metal. It then passes of the trough 22.

through a pickling bath M where acid is uniformly applied to it on all sides. Surplus acid is removed from the metal by means of squeegee rolls l5, l5, rotary brushes I6, l6, and squeegee I rolls ll, ll. From thence the metal passes 6 through a drier l8, and squeegee rolls l9, l9 to a coiler generally indicated by reference character 20, which recoils it. Said sticking box,

-leveler, squeegee rolls, brushes, drier, and coiler are only shown in an illustrative form in order 10 that my invention may be more clearly understood, and the details. thereof are not herein shown or described since they form no part of the present invention.

The pickling bath It includes generally a lonl5 gitudinally extending tank 2| lined with an acid resisting composition, such as rubber (not shown) and having an acid or pickling trough 22 disposed thereabove and extending therealong. Said trough is closed at its top and has open forward and rearward ends to permit the metal which is being cleaned and pickled to pass therethrough. Suitable openings MIL-t0 are provided along the bottom of said trough to permit the application of pickling and cleaning fluid under pressure to 25 the bottom of the metal to spray and buoy the metal to such an extent that it will pass through said trough above the bottom thereof. Likewise, suitable nozzles M, M are provided to spray the upper side of the metal as it passes through the trough so that all sides of the metal will be evenly sprayed.

Referring now in particular to certain novel featuresof my invention and the means for centering the metal as it passes through the trough 22, an adjustable guiding device 24 is provided which is shown as being a continuation of the trough and serves to guide the metal to the squeegee rolls l5, l5 and retain it in a buoyed state while it passes therethrough. Said guiding 4 device is of a substantially funnel shaped formation and has an open restricted mouth through which the fluid and metal are adapted to pass. Said guiding device includes a pair of pivoted guide members 25, 25, each of which guide memhers is supported to underlap the forward end Said guide members are pivotally and slidably mounted adjacent their rear outer ends sothat the forward portions of said guide members may be telescopically moved with respect to each other inwardly towards the center of the trough.

Each guide member 25 has a relatively fiat bottom with an upwardly and inwardly curved outer side 26. Said curved outer sides are so arranged that the upper ends thereof may extend completely over the the edges of the metal to prevent upward deflection thereof beyond a certain predetermined point and to prevent undue splashing of the pickling fluid, so that the metal may be retained in a buoyant state in central relation with respect to said trough, by the pickling fluid engaging the underside of said metal under pressure asit passes along said acid trough and flows through the funnel shaped mouth of said guide (see Figure for discharge into the tank 2|. The pivotal and slidable mounting for the rear ends of each guide member 25 includes a pin 21 which extends through slots formed in theupper and lower portions of a bracket 28 projecting laterally outwardly from each of said guide members adjacent the rear end thereof. The lower end of each of said pins is mounted in a suitable aperture provided in a member 29. Said last mentioned members extend forwardly from the outer ends of a cross member 30. Said cross member extends across the bottom of the trough 22 and is spaced beneath the bottom of said trough a distance suflicient to receive the guide members 25, 25 and form a support for the rearward ends thereof.

The forward ends of the support members 25,

25 rest on a supporting strip 33 which, as herein shown, is of a channel shaped formation opening towards the trough 22. Said supporting strip is supported at its ends in brackets 34, 34, herein shown as extending rearwardly of the frame which forms a support for the squeegee rolls l5, l5 (see Figures 2 and 3). A plurality of apertures 35, 35 are spaced along the supporting strip 33 and are adapted to receive pins 36, 36 which extend through lateral projections 31, 31 from the forward ends of the members 25, 25. The width of the opening of the forward end of the adjustable guide 24 may thus be changed by simply removing the pins 36, 36 from their respective apertures and inserting them in other apertures.

It will be seen from the foregoing that metal of various widths buoyed up by pickling fluid engaging its underside under pressure may be guided in a buoyant state in central relation with respect to said trough by the guiding device 24 whch forms a continuation of said trough. It will also be seen that the forward ends of the guiding device are telescopically adjustable inwardly towards the center of the trough to restrict the discharge opening of said guiding device to accommodate said guiding device to various widths of metal and permit the pickling fluid to pass therethrough under sufiicient pressure to buoy up the metal as it passes therethrough.

While I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied,

it will be understood that the construction there-' of and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated, excepting as it may be limited in the appended claims.

I claim as my'invention:

1. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide of a substantially funnel shaped formation adapted to have guiding engagement with the sides of the metal and including a plurality of guide members having pivotal connection with and extending forwardly of the forward end of said trough, the forward ends of which are arranged to telescope with respect to each other towards the center of said trough.

2. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide adapted to have engagement with the sides of the metal and including a pair of guide members underlapping said trough and extending forwardly therefrom, each of said guide members being mounted adjacent its rear outer end for pivotal movement about a substantially vertical axis adjacent an outer side of said trough, and said members being arranged to telescope inwardly with respect to each other at their forward ends.

3. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide adapted to engage the sides of the metal and including a plurality of guide members arranged to telescope inwardly towards the center of said trough at their forward ends, said guide members underlapping the forward end of said trough at their rear ends and being mounted for pivotal and longitudinal slidable movement with respect to said trough about axes spaced from the sides thereof.

4. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide adapted to have guiding engagement with the sides of the metal and including a plurality of guide members arranged to telescope inwardly towards the center of said trough at their forward ends, said guide members underlapping the forward end of said trough at their rear ends and being mounted for pivotal and longitudinal slidable movement with respect to said trough about axes spaced from the sides thereof, and means for adjustably holding the forward ends of said members in various fixed positions of adjustment with respect to each other.

5. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide adapted to engage the sides of the metal and including a plurality of guide members arranged to telescope inwardly towards the center of said trough at their forward ends, said guide members underlapping the forward end of said trough at their rear ends and being mounted for pivotal and longitudinal slidable movement with respect to said trough about 'axes spaced from the sides thereof, and means for supporting the forward ends of said guide members and adiustably holding said members v. in fixed relationship with respect to each other including a member spaced forwardly from and extending across the forward end of said trough, and interengaging connections between said guide members and cross member.

6. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass, and means at the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising an adjustable guide adapted to engage the sides of the metal and including a plurality of members overlapped at their rear ends by the forward end of said trough and being pivotally mounted adjacent their rear ends for movement with respect to each other about axes adjacent the sides of and perpendicular to the bottom-of said trough, said guide members extending forwardly of said trough and their. forward ends being arranged to telescope towards the center of said trough to adjust said guide to the size of metal passing through said trough, and said guide members having upwardly and inwardly curved sides to guide the metal through the forward opening thereof and prevent lateral and vertical displacement thereof.

'7. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough through which the metal which is being cleaned and pickled is adapted to pass in a buoyant state, a plurality of inlet openings disposed along the bottom of said trough and adapted to permit the application of fluid under pressure to the bottom of the metal to spray and buoy up the metal as it passes through said trough, andadjustable guide means forming a continuation of the discharge end of said trough for maintaining the strip metal in aligned central relationship with respect to said trough comprising a guide adapted to have engagement .with the sides of the metal and including a pair of guide members extending forwardly from said trough, each of said guide members being mounted adjacent its rear outer end for pivotal move- .ment about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane of said trough, and said members being arranged to telescope inwardly with respect to each other at their forward ends to form a restricted mouth through which the metal and pickling fluid are adapted to pass so said mouth may guide the metal in central'relationship with respect to said trough and the fluid may support the metal in a buoyant state as it passes therethrough.

8. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a trough adapted to form a passageway for the strip met a1, aset of squeegee rolls at the discharge end of said trough, and means for guiding said metal to said rolls in centered relationship with respect thereto comprising an adjustable funnel shaped guide at the discharge end of said trough having sides telescopically adjustable inwardly towards the center of said trough.

9. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a trough adapted to form a passageway for the strip metal, a set of squeegee rolls at the discharge end of said trough, and means for guiding said metal to said rolls in centered relationship with respect thereto comprising an adjustable guide at the discharge end of said trough having sides extending upwardly and over the sides of said metal to prevent lateral and upward displacement thereof, the forward ends of said guide being adjustable inwardly towards the cen-' ter of said trough.

trough, and adjustable means forming a con- 10. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough adapted to form a passageway 'for strip metal which is being pickled and cleaned, a plurality of inlet openings disposed along the bottom of said trough and adapted to permit the application of fluid under pressure to the bottom of the metal to spray and buoy up the metal as it passes through said trough, a set of squeegee rolls at the discharge end of said tinuation of said trough forguiding the metal to said rolls in centered relationship with respect I thereto comprising an adjustable funnel shaped guide at the discharge end of said trough having sides telescopically movable inwardly towards the center of said. trough, and the restricted mouth thereof forming a passageway throughwhich said. metal buoyed up by said fluid is adapted to pass.

ll. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a pickling trough adapted to form a passageway for strip metal which is being pickled and cleaned, a plurality of inlet openings disposed along the bottom of said trough and adapted to permit' the application of fluid under pressure to the bottom of the metal to spray and buoy up the metal as it passes through said trough, a set of squeegee rolls'at the discharge end of said trough,and adjustable means forming a continuation of said trough for guiding the metal to said rolls in centered relationship with respect thereto comprising an adjustable guide at the discharge end of said trough having sides extending upwardly and inwardly over the sides of said metal to prevent lateral and upward displacement thereof, the forward end of said guide being adjustable inwardly towards the center of said trough and forming a restricted mouth for guiding the metal as it passes therethrough and permitting the pickling fluid to buoy up said metal as it passes therethrough.

12. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a trough adapted to form a passageway for the strip metal, a set of squeegee rolls at the discharge end of said trough, and means for guiding said metal to said rolls in centered relationship with respect thereto comprising an adjustable guide at the discharge end of said trough, said guide including a'pair of guidemembers overlapped by said trough and having curved outer sides extending upwardly and inwardly towards the center of said trough, said members being pivotally mounted about axes disposed adjacent their rearward outer ends and adjacent the outer sides of said trough, and being telescopically adjustable with respect to each other towards the center of saidtrough at their forward ends so that the open forward end thereof may engage the sides of the metal and prevent lateral displacement thereof, and the inwardly extending upper ends thereof may prevent vertical displacement thereof beyond a predetermined point. v

13. In a pickling and cleaning device for strip metal, a trough adapted to form a passageway for the strip metal, a set of squeegee rolls at the discharge end of said trough, and means for guiding said metal to said rolls in centered relacnship with respect thereto comprising an adjustable guide at the discharge end of saidtrough,

end of said trough on which the forward ends of said guide members are supported, and interengaging connections between said guide members and cross member for holding said members in adjusted relationship with respect to each other. 6

FRANK J. WOOD. 

